Black Cap Raspberry Sauce

A couple of days ago, I suggested you might like to scout around and find some of these delicious wild berries. We have some in our yard, in western Howard County, and I spotted a large patch in the park as well. I was able to harvest a quart in no time flat! The berries are PERFECT right now, at their height of ripeness, bursting with juicy sweetness. All the rain we have had this spring has made for some very luscious fruit.

Arriving home with my quart of berries, I set about immediately to making a sauce. Since I recently made sour cherry preserves, and later this week I might even be making MORE of those, I wanted to do something slightly more savory with these berries. I found a recipe for Soy and Blackberry Glaze to inspire me in Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book by Chris Lilly. Of course, I did not follow the recipe! But it did get me started down a path.

I also googled Blackberry Barbeque Sauce and studied a few of those recipes. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to add ketchup to my precious sweet berries. Not that it wouldn't taste good. I was thinking, though, that a strong tomato product could completely mask the taste of the berries. So I went with more of a sweet and sour glaze.

If you give this try, please let me know how yours turns out!

Ingredients:

1 quart freshly picked black cap raspberries
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1-2 TB mirin
1-2 TB rice wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
Pinch of sea salt

Dump all ingredients into a small saucepan. Turn heat to medium high. Stir and mash berries to combine thoroughly. Once boiling, turn heat down to simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to be sure the sauce isn't sticking. Cool completely before storing in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Serve with roasted chicken, barbequed ribs, turkey sandwiches, or whatever you please! Makes about 1&1/2 cups.

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